There are different botulinum toxin A (BT-A) products/formulations available on the market that are used for both therapeutic and cosmetic purposes. They vary in terms of composition, units, chemical properties, biologic activities and weight; hence, they are not interchangeable.1 Like many other aesthetic and therapeutic treatments, poor understanding of the clinical pharmacology of BT-A may result in poor product choice for a given indication, patient consent, inadequate treatment planning and a lack of understanding of potential complications. In this paper, I will discuss the basic clinical pharmacology of BT-A and detail some of the differences presented in the literature between three popular formulations.
Botulinum toxin (BT) is a neurotoxic protein that consists of botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) and non-toxic proteins (also known as complexing proteins).2 It is produced by anaerobic spore-forming…
